Disc drives are digital data storage devices which store and retrieve large amounts of user data in a fast and efficient manner. The data are magnetically recorded on the surfaces of one or more rigid data storage discs affixed to a spindle motor for rotation at a constant high speed.
An array of vertically aligned data transducing heads are controllably positioned by an actuator to read data from and write data to tracks defined on the recording surfaces. The heads are configured to be aerodynamically supported over the recording surfaces by currents established by the high speed rotation of the discs.
It is desirable to control the flow of the currents within a disc drive housing to reduce turbulence in the vicinity of the heads. Turbulence can induce undesired vibrations in the heads, thereby adversely affecting data reading and writing performance.
It is further desirable to reduce the presence of airborne contaminants within the housing. Contaminants can adhere to the recording surfaces and degrade the ability of the heads to write and read data. Recirculation filters are often placed within disc drive housings at suitable locations to filter the recirculating currents.
Disc drive designers are constrained by a number of factors, including continually reduced form factors and internal clearance issues, to provide effective filtering and air flow control. Thus, with the continued demand for higher performance data storage devices, there remains a continual need for improved approaches to directing and filtering recirculating currents within such devices. It is to such improvements that the claimed invention is directed.